You Paid For It: Collinsville Theater Project

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COLLINSVILLE, IL. (KTVI) – On this You Paid For it Investigation a costly twist to a theater renovation project by the Collinsville Area Recreation District.

The City of Collinsville wants the District to repay the money it loaned CARD to fix up the old Miners Theater in Collinsville. CARD spent some $1.5 Million dollars on the renovation project that's a long way from complete. it was going to cost another $6 Million Dollars to finish it, money CARD didn't have. So the Recreation District pulled the plug on the project.

Part of the money spent on the renovation was $235,000 in TIF money from the City Of Collinsville and the city wants CARD to repay at least $100,000 of it.

CARD says it's all taxpayers’ money and repaying the city would take money away from recreation programs for taxpayers and it's trying to get the city to back down from its money demands.

We caught up with the head of the Recreation District to explain why repaying the city's money would be a bad deal for taxpayers.